INTER-AGENCY REGIONAL RESPONSE for SYRIAN REFUGEES Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey 24 - 30 January 2014

INTER-AGENCY REGIONAL RESPONSE FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey 24 - 30 January 2014

This update provides a snapshot of the inter-agency regional humanitarian response in full coordination with host Governments and 155 partners across the region.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS ISSUE  The first round of the Syria peace talks to find a political settlement and fully  UNFPA: Empowering women and implement the Geneva Communiqué of 30 June 2012 ended on Friday 31 January. The promoting gender equality, p.2 first week of talks in Geneva between the Syrian government and the opposition did  Supporting survivors and refugees not progress toward any action to end the conflict. Mediator Lakhdar Brahimi, the at risk of SGBV, p.2 UN-Arab League Joint Special Representative for Syria, stated that, “Progress is very  Implementing psychosocial support slow indeed, but the sides have engaged in an acceptable manner.” services in host communities, p.2  UNRWA reports that 51,264 Palestine refugees from Syria (PRS) have registered with  UNRWA: Addressing protection the agency in Lebanon and 10,912 in Jordan. There are reports of 6,000 PRS in Egypt concerns of Palestine refugees and numbers in Turkey, Libya, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. from Syria, p.3  Sea arrivals of Syrians to Italy increased throughout 2013 to over 11,000 persons by  National roll-out of CP and GBV the end of the year. Syrians continue to move towards Italy’s southern shores in 2014, Standard Operating Procedures, with the Italian coast guard stating that 175 people - including six Syrians - were p.3 rescued off a small boat on Thursday 30 January. The boat reportedly departed from  Establishing safe spaces for refugee Egypt. children, p.4

REGIONAL FIGURES

2.4 million refugees fleeing Syria have sought protection in neighbouring countries

83% of refugees reside outside camps in urban and rural communities

1.3 million refugees are under 18 years of age

51,000 Palestine refugees from Syria are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon and 11,000 in Jordan

Refugee population as of 30 January 2014, based on available data. For updated figures, please visit http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees SYRIA REGIONAL REFUGEE RESPONSE 24 - 30 Jan 2014 | Page 2

UNFPA: EMPOWERING WOMEN AND PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY  UNFPA and partners are supporting initiatives to combat gender-based violence (GBV) to protect the victims and others at risk, including through capacity development, and operationalizing multi-sector, multi -dimensional plans of action for prevention and protection of GBV.  Lebanon - UNFPA provided 1,530 leaflets and 67,250 community brochures on GBV referral pathway to response partners to be distributed to Syrian refugees by trained staff through outreach activities. UNFPA also established a listening and counseling centre run by KAFA in Marj, Beqaa Valley, and distributed 1,000 sanitary pads and 1,000 diapers for babies through INTERSOS. The gender-based violence data for September to December 2013 was finalized. During the first four months of the national data collecting, trends show that more than 85 per cent of GBV Doctor providing reproductive health services in the Cyber City refugee settlement, Jordan. UNFPA survivors reporting cases were girls and women, and 30 per cent were children. Twenty-two per cent of the reported cases related to sexual violence, 43 per cent are physical assault, 19 per cent are psychological/emotional abuse, 7.5 per cent are forced marriages, and denial of resources/opportunitiesor services constituted 8.5 per cent.  Jordan - More than 502 women and girls in Zaatari camp and 312 beneficiaries in UNFPA–supported clinics in urban and rural areas benefited from GBV prevention and response services, including recreational psychosocial activities, GBV awareness- raising activities, and life skills trainings.  Iraq – The women’s safe space in Domiz camp maintained its services, including through listening and counseling. Eleven GBV cases were identified. In January, 149 women and girls benefited from nine recreational sessions organized by thewomen’s centre and 597 families have been reached though the sensitization campaign on GBV and reproductive health-related issues in January. In Erbil camps, 17 GBV cases were identified, of which four cases of early marriage, and 139 women participated in seven formal information sessions on GBV and reproductive health. Gender-based violence cases continue to be identified in urban areas, assisted by UNFPA social workers, and are referred to appropriate services.

SUPPORTING SURVIVORS AND REFUGEES AT RISK OF SGBV  Lebanon - UNHCR and partners provided health care and mental support to over 200 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) throughout January. In North Lebanon, UNHCR, Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and Feminism Association assessed the implementation of the first phase of a Women’s Resource Centre. The centre had been initially establishedto provide skills and vocational training and will be expanded into a safe space where all women can seek protection and support. In South Lebanon, agencies have worked to improve the Clinical Management of Rape (CMR) in the area. Both the Saida Government hospital and Belgium clinic in Hasbaya have been provided with necessary equipment to improve CMR, including capacity building for health care providers at the local health care centre.

IMPLEMENTING PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES IN HOST COMMUNITIES  Jordan - The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation authorized Jordan River Foundation and Islamic Centre Charitable Society to implement UNICEF-supported psychosocial support services in 26 host community locations to reach some 26,000 children in 2014. These Child and Family Protective places offer activities for Jordanian and Syrian families living in host communities. With the activation of these sites, UNICEF child protection support extends to 112 locations in Jordan, including 52 in camps and 60 in host communities. SYRIA REGIONAL REFUGEE RESPONSE 24 - 30 Jan 2014 | Page 3

UNRWA: Addressing protection concerns of Palestine refugees from Syria  Lebanon - UNRWA has established an outreach project in Beqaa to encourage Palestine refugees from Syria (PRS) to register with UNRWA so they can benefit from assistance provided. UNRWA’s protection team continues to conduct household assessments for unaccompanied and separated PRS minors to ensure they benefit from emergency cash assistance - 178 have been identified so far. In coordination with the Child Protection in Emergencies Working Group, UNRWA has referred vulnerable cases internally and to partner organizations providing services including psychosocial support and mental health, and some to ICRC for family tracing and reunification services. Through funding from UNICEF, UNRWA is also providing support for PRS minors who require assistive devices. Palestine refugee woman from Syria registered with UNRWA in Jordan. UNRWA  UNRWA addresses SGBV as part of an integrated response to SGBV among all Palestine refugees in Lebanon in coordination with the SGBV Taskforce. The number of PRS SGBV victims detected is low but UNRWA has found the incidence of sexual violence higher among PRS than the Palestine refugee population already in Lebanon, indicating that the phenomenon is exacerbated by conflict and displacement. UNRWA has established six community-based support groups for Palestine refugee women and girls in three refugee camps in the Tyre area.  Jordan - Women and children comprise 75 per cent of the nearly 11,000 PRS currently recorded with UNRWA in Jordan. UNRWA continues to address their needs through emergency relief, health and education services. UNRWA is undertaking a multi-sector needs assessment to update the humanitarian profile of PRS and identify vulnerability criteria to target/prioritize assistance on the most vulnerable families. The protection of PRS remains a priority, and has been mainstreamed in all aspects of UNRWA’s response.  A 24-hour hotline for PRS was launched and caseworkers deployed in each UNRWA area office to inform PRS of available services and provide counseling, case management and referral support. Systems to identify, report and respond to protection issues were piloted and almost 200 front line staff received protection training. Hundreds of interventions have been conducted and active involvement in UN protection response mechanisms has also helped expand the range of external referral options available to PRS, particularly for GBV and child protection cases. However, under-reporting remains a significant challenge due to stigma, threat of retaliation, lack of awareness and difficulties accessing services. UNRWA is particularly concerned by therisks to unaccompanied/ separated children and is working with partners to enhance protection, including through the legal system.  UNRWA provided cash assistance to over 9,300 PRS in 2013. Female-headed families, who comprise 30 per cent of PRS households, were prioritized for shelter subsidies. All PRS are eligible for largely free primary, emergency and lifesaving health care in UNRWA clinics and partner hospitals. Females comprised 57 per cent of consultations made by PRS in 2013.

NATIONAL ROLL-OUT OF CP AND GBV STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES  Jordan - Save the Children Jordan and Save the Children International conducted a two-day training on the UNHCR/UNICEF/ UNFPA-led inter-agency Standard Operating Procedures for the prevention of and response to GBV and child protection (CP) for 24 Jordanian community members and volunteers working with Save the Children Jordan and INTERSOS in the south of Jordan. This was the first training targeting community members and volunteers and will be adapted and rolled out in various geographical locations in the coming months. In addition, 30 members of the education working group were briefed on the SOPs and on how they can further capacitate other responders.

SYRIA REGIONAL REFUGEE RESPONSE 24 - 30 Jan 2014 | Page 4

ESTABLISHING SAFE SPACES FOR REFUGEE CHILDREN  Iraq - Over 4,000 Syrian children in camps

are accessing psychosocial support and recreational activities in seven Child and Youth Friendly Spaces. New child and youth friendly spaces are also being established in urban areas hosting large numbers of Syrian refugees. In January, more than 3,000 children were registered in the Child/ Youth Friendly Spaces in Var City and Fayda District, Dohuk Governorate in the Kurdistan Region.  Partners in the child protection sub-working group have established an identification system at the border that has facilitated the documentation identification of 777 unaccompanied and separated children as well as 262 cases of possible grave child rights violations in accordance Young Syrian refugees in Kawergosk camp, Kurdistan Region. UNHCR | N. Prokopchuk to the UN Security Council Resolution 1612 at the border. A referral system is being developed for those children that will require care to access child protection and basic services in both refugee camps and those in host communities. In addition, 904 unaccompanied and separated children were identified at border crossing points. Over 90 per cent of unaccompanied cases are in kinship care with access to appropriate assistance.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) | http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees